Departing Doctor Who Matt Smith on His 'Hard Choice' to Leave and 'Emotional' Goodbye

“It is going to be emotional,” Doctor Who‘s outgoing leading man Matt Smith acknowledged to reporters at the Television Critics Assoc. summer press tour on Thursday. “For me its been four years. It’s quite a transformative experience and dominates your life. You become very attached to people.”

Smith, who is getting ready to start shooting his farewell (the show’s Christmas special), called the decision to depart “a hard choice,” but noted, “The show has come to sort of a natural tipping point. It’s at the top of a cycle and it’s a good time for me and the show.

“The thing about Doctor Who is he always looks forward,” the actor continued. “The show will get bigger and better and will carry on without me.”

On that note, Doctor Who producer Marcus Wilson said the search for Smith’s successor is “ongoing… You want the best actor for the role. You just cast the net wide and hope you find somebody brilliant.”